Nut fastener



(No Model.)

W. DUNN.

NUT FASTENBR. No. 270,877. Patented Jan.16,1883.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

WILLIAM DUNN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA., ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO. DANIEL B. RUFFNER AND GIDEON S. BOLTON, O-F SAME PLAGE.

NUTFASTENER.

SPEIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,877, dated January 16, 1883.

Application filed November 28,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM DUNN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia., State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a new and useful Iniprovenient in Springs for Fastening Nuts and Taking Up of the Slack of FishPlates, 85e., which improvement is fully set forth in the following speclication and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a side elevation ot' the spring embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a top view thereof, the rail being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in line m x, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists of a spring which is curved in reversed directions-upwardly and downwardly, the connecting-arm of the reversed curves resting on the {ish-plate, at the terminations of which part the reversed curves are bent outwardly, thus producing the resiliency of the spring, the lengthened surface ot' the spring increasing said resiliency without increasing the dimensions of the spring from bolt to bo1t,the connecting-arm of the reversed curves bearing on the fish-plate, so that the resiliency ot' the reverse curves begins at`the upper and lower parts of said arm, thus leaving the arm strong and durable and bearing on the surface-otl the fish-plate above aiid below the center thereof.

It also consists in throwing out the ends of the eyes of the springs, whereby the sharp edges or angles of said ends are presented to the rear faces ofthe nuts, so as to bite thereagainst, thus increasing the holding power of the springs on the nuts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a railroad-railor other rail to be spliced or fished.

B B represent the splice or lish pieces or plates, and C the fastening-bolts, having tightening-nuts D.

E represents a. curved spring, which is ot' skeleton form, and has eyes, which are fitted on the bolts C. The spring is constructed of a rod, bar, or piece of suitable metal, having its body of S, sinuous, or serpentine forni, curved in the direction of its length, and its ends are bent to constitute the eyes for the bolts C. It"\vill be noticed that the curves oi the spring are in reversed directions upwardly.

and downwardly,as at t a', between said eyes. The reverse curves c a are joined by a somewhat vertical bar, a, which extends between the points a a and rests iiat on the lishplate, said curves thus beginning at the points c and bending outwardly therefrom. Each eye F of the spring has its end turned outwardly, as atb, so as to presentl the extreme edge or angle c to the back of the nut and bite thereagainst, said eyes being formed by bending the ends of the piece of which tbe spring is constructed in reversed directions, as continuous of the curves a a.

When the fish-plates, bolts, and springs are properly located the nuts D are applied and tightened, thus compressing the spring and rmly clamping the rail and plates. The friction created by the spring serves to hold the nuts and prevent their rotation, and when the rails, plates, Src., wear'froin service the slack is taken up, and thus the parts continue to be held, and rattling of the saine is prevented.

As the spring is of S or serpentine shape, it will be found to possess a lengthened surface between the eyes without increasing the .diniension ofthe spring from bolt to bolt. This increases the resiliency andpo werot' the spring, and also renders the same strong, light, and inexpensive, as it is not weakened by joints or piercing, and a heavy piece of metal is not required to form the same. The central bar, a, also provides a large bearing-surface for the spring on the fish-plate, and rests against the main portion of the fish-plate, above and below the center of the same, in the vertical direction thereof, so that the center of the spring is strong and durable and bears firmly against the fish-plate on a large surface thereof.

I am aware that it is not new to form a uutfastening spring of a bar bent backward and forward, so that several arches are presented, all of which bear on the fish bar or plate; but I am not aware of any springl formed, as in my case, of a central vertical part, a, from the top and bottom parts, a, of which there extend the bodyportionsaa in reversed directions upwardly and downwardly, so that said reversed curved portions also stand out from -the central vertical part, a. VThis lengthens the IOO spring and increases the resiliency of the same, and leaves the body standing Well out from the fish-plate from the top and bottom of the central part to the extreme ends. Furthermore, the central part has a long bearing-surface eX- tending above and below thc center of the fishplate, thus providing a long .bearing for the center ot the spring, which prevents turning ot' the spring and increases the strength thereof.

Iam also aware that it is not new to provide the ends of the eyes of the spring` with tongues which are turned up and embrace the sides ot' the nut; but in my case the extreme ends of the bar or terminals of the eyes are turned outwardly, so as to present their sharp edges to the backsof thenuts,thus avoidingthetongues and causing said sharp edges to increase their hold or bite as the nuts aretightened. In View of these facts I have made an improvementin 2o the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersA Patent, is-

1. The nutlfastening and tish-plate spring, consisting of a body having curved portions a a', which extend in reversed directions upwardly and downwardly from the central con necting-bar, a, from the upper and lower parts of which said curved portions are bent outwardly, substantially as and for the purpose u set forth.A

2. The bent spring having a central bearing part and eyes at the end, the extreme end or angle of each of which projects outwardly, so as to bite the back of the nut, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

'WILLIAM DUNN. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, W. F. KIRCHER. 

